Anyone have any experience with Davita centers in Atlanta GA?

[Riki]

I'm planning on going to Netroots Nation in Atlanta next August.. though it's still quite early, I've already done some scouting around the convention center using GlobalDialysis.com and I found a center that is in walking distance from the convention center, less than a kilometre away, on the same street even... The center I found is called Atlanta Midtown Dialysis... I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with this center, or if maybe they can suggest somewhere else.. I haven't called the not-toll-free outside of the US Davita number yet, as it's still so early, but I will probably call them sometime in the new year

[Simon Dog]

I have never used the Atlanta facility, however, I have used several DaVita facilities while traveling.  As a US patient with Medicare+private insurance, I don't have to worry about the financials.

I've found the DaVita clinics to be well run with competent staff.  If anything, they are a little more infection conscious than FMC.  All visitors have to wear disposable gowns, and they use sealed sterile gauze for bandaging sites rather than bulk packaged clean non-sterile gauze as is the case at FMC clinics.

The only big treatment difference I saw was one of the DaVitas used Asahi rather than Fresenius filters, but they used a comparable size and it seemed to work fine for me.

[iolaire]

Looking at the map its also right on the Marta (light rail/metro) station which would be convenient if you decide you don't like the walk.  Also since its a transit center you should also have buses heading there from downtown.

Also you might be able to email Guest Services rather than calling, see email on this link:
https://www.davita.com/services/emergency-services

I've started to email my international travel requests since I don't want to dictate non US Addresses to someone on the phone.  Each time I've emailed its been forwarded correctly to Gina who handles the non US travel requests (US travelers going internationally).

The one concern I have for you is Cost.  Here in the US dialysis rates are from under $300 to $10,000/session depending on how the center bills and agreements in place.  At my normal DaVita center on private insurance they have been billing $1,550!.  So be prepared to know what your own insurance scheme will pay and try to make sure you negotiate a rate that is inline with what they will pay.

[Simon Dog]

At my normal DaVita center on private insurance they have been billing $1,550!

The DaVita center in Kent, WA billed (and collected) $5050 from my private insurance (before I was on medicare), and actually managed to collect that amount.

A Fresenius in Rochester, NY collected a bit over $3000 each.

[Riki]

The center I go to in NYC charges $600 per treatment.  I think they might be a private center, so that might make a difference.  They don't give you anything.  I even took my own bandaids with me, because the ones they had were only for people with insurance.  My province will reimburse up to $423 per treatment, so when I go to NYC, I have to eat a bit of it, but I'm okay with that.  The price of dialysis will probably decide for me whether or not I'm going

Also you might be able to email Guest Services rather than calling, see email on this link:
https://www.davita.com/services/emergency-services

Thank you.  That's a heck of a lot easier, especially for someone with telephone anxieties.. *G*  They should put that in their GlobalDialysis info

[iolaire]

I have to assume they do some pricing based on what people can pay.  With insurance its 100% to their benefit to bill through the roof.  Hopefully with you the might be some negotiation to keep the rate inline with what your insurance will pay.

[Riki]

We don't really have insurance.. not like in the US, anyway... I imagine that there is a set price for travellers, and that's what they are charged, no matter what the income level, or what they will be reimbursed when they get home... like I said, the unit I go to in NYC charged me $600US the last time I went there, but when I started going there, back in 2008, it was $400US per treatment... the govt didn't really look at which currency it was.. the receipt said $400, so they gave me back $400Can... this last time, though I paid the $600US, I only got back the $423Can... I don't know if that was fair, especially the last time, since our dollar has kinda tanked out.. but that's what they did..

[Simon Dog]

$600 would appear to be a very reasonable US rate for a buyer who does not have any bargaining power.   When I was private insurance primary, it was running about $450 per treatment (up until a year ago when I went on Medicare), and that was a very large insurer in a boring suburban area.      $600 is also a fraction of what my insurance got hammered when I had "out of coverage area" treatments at centers where they had no bargaining power.

It still sucks to have to pay it though.

[Riki]

When I travel inside Canada, I don't have to pay up front.. my province just has to approve it beforehand, which really isn't that big of a deal..

Something I would like, and maybe I should take it up with the renal social worker... since I go to NYC so much, and I go to the same unit every time... if the province could pay them directly instead of reimbursing me... if the province directly paid them the $423 that they allow, and left me to pick up the rest, it would be much easier..

[iolaire]

We don't really have insurance.. not like in the US, anyway... I imagine that there is a set price for travellers, and that's what they are charged, no matter what the income level, or what they will be reimbursed when they get home... like I said, the unit I go to in NYC charged me $600US the last time I went there, but when I started going there, back in 2008, it was $400US per treatment... the govt didn't really look at which currency it was.. the receipt said $400, so they gave me back $400Can... this last time, though I paid the $600US, I only got back the $423Can... I don't know if that was fair, especially the last time, since our dollar has kinda tanked out.. but that's what they did..

Well I paid something like $825 CAN for a single session plus $75 CAN to the doctor in Montreal so the $600 in NYC seems not so bad...

[justagirl2325]

As a Canadian my husband can travel anywhere in Canada on our provincial health care plan and not pay for dialysis (just have to find a spot in advance).  We've had two US trips.  The first to Vegas we were charged $400.  The second to Minneapolis, the clinic said $700 - we said no thanks as we were expecting the charge to be around $400.  They called us back the next day (we didn't call them) and offered it at $400.  We took them up on there offer.  Perhaps it pays to negotiate in the US? 

[Riki]

Perhaps it pays to negotiate in the US?

I'll keep that in mind when I talk to them... the price of dialysis is make or break for the trip

[kitkatz]

Be aware the center you want may not have chairs available to an out of towner.  Choose a couple close to the area before you get your heart set on one.

[Riki]

Be aware the center you want may not have chairs available to an out of towner.  Choose a couple close to the area before you get your heart set on one.

I'm quite aware.. this is just one I want to ask about.. it's the closest to where I'm going to be

[Riki]

I appear to have a seat in a Davita unit in Atlanta.  It's not the unit I was thinking of, since it seems the unit I was looking at on GlobalDialysis.com doesn't exist.  The unit I got is still in walking distance, which is fine for me.  I was also quoted a price of $480US per treatment, which is doable.  Now I just have to figure out if I can afford the trip.

Thank you to iolaire for the info on Guest Services.  They were incredibly helpful in pointing out the centers that were in the area.  That's more than I can say for the renal social worker.  I seem to have been doing all the work.  Hopefully she will be able to arrange the testing that needs to be done in the 30 days before the trip.

[smartcookie]

I just got back from Atlanta a couple days ago!  I went on a road trip to see my cousin get married in Arkansas.  If you have extra time, the Georgia Aquarium is great!  If you go after 4:00 pm, the tickets are reduced to $26.00 a person and the aquarium is open until 9 pm, so you still have plenty of time to walk around (this deal is only online).  My family and I still got to see the sea lion show and the dolphin show, too!  The beluga whales are incredible!  We also did the World of Coca-Cola, which is fun.  They have a tasting room with sodas from all over the world.  Many seem to be renal friendly, as well.  If you bring proof of purchase of coke products, you can get a reduced rate ticket.  General admission is only $17 there.  I hope you have a blast!!

[iolaire]

Thank you to iolaire for the info on Guest Services.  They were incredibly helpful in pointing out the centers that were in the area.  That's more than I can say for the renal social worker.  I seem to have been doing all the work.  Hopefully she will be able to arrange the testing that needs to be done in the 30 days before the trip.

My center only does testing like the Hep C, for everything else HIV, Hep B, MRSA ext. I have to get orders from the nephrologist (that takes some time), and then go out on my own for the other tests and make sure that the results get back to my dialysis center not the nephrologist's office.  MRSA is always a problem to get because traditional labs will not do it.  (Maybe if I went to my primary care doctor regularly they would do it in the doctors office but luckly I don't need to be there regularly.)  So with most trips I have to get some outside lab work on my own.   Plus usually there is some miss communication and I have lab work to rush in the last few weeks before the trip.  And I rarely get a chair time more than a week in advance. 

Also I generally work with my center's Administrative Assistant who has been there the whole time I've been on dialysis, not the social worker who is now the third hire for that position.  She is good and I'm able to email her for help.

Atlanta should be fun, good food and you can get to a wide selection of places on MARTA (metro) including the airport.

[Riki]

I just got back from Atlanta a couple days ago!  I went on a road trip to see my cousin get married in Arkansas.  If you have extra time, the Georgia Aquarium is great!  If you go after 4:00 pm, the tickets are reduced to $26.00 a person and the aquarium is open until 9 pm, so you still have plenty of time to walk around (this deal is only online).  My family and I still got to see the sea lion show and the dolphin show, too!  The beluga whales are incredible!  We also did the World of Coca-Cola, which is fun.  They have a tasting room with sodas from all over the world.  Many seem to be renal friendly, as well.  If you bring proof of purchase of coke products, you can get a reduced rate ticket.  General admission is only $17 there.  I hope you have a blast!!

The World of Coca Cola is on my radar.. I mentioned to Mom that you can swim with sharks at the Georgia Aquarium.. she said no.. *L*  I want to do the giant ferris wheel, and my best friend from NYC wants to do a Waffle House.. I discovered that there is one between where we are staying and the ferris wheel.. so we'll probably do both... I also plan on taking in the speeches at Netroots Nation, since that's the reason we'll be there.. my friend is a member of the press, covering the conference for the radio station she works for, which is one of the reasons she is there.. I'm really starting to get excited, so I'm hoping it all works out

[smartcookie]

Sounds awesome!  I am sure you will have a great time!  When I was a little girl, I got to do a spend the night thing at the Atlanta Zoo since I was a girl scout!  It was pretty fun, but I haven't been to the Atlanta Zoo since so I cannot comment on that.  I used to live in Dalton, GA as a kid and got to go to Atlanta all the time.  If you like fun burger joints, my sister-in-law loves the Varsity.  Johnny Rockets is also there and very yummy.  Can you tell that I love burgers?  lol!

[Riki]

Do you know of any places that offer unique adult beverages?  When my friend went to Netroots last year in (I think) St. Louis, they found a place that served adult milkshakes that she really liked... and I've heard of places that do the same with slushies... or if you know of a place that makes really good margaritas, that would be good too.. *G*  She just had her 4th clear mammogram after her breast cancer treatment, and we need to celebrate that... one more and she's officially cancer free...

[iolaire]

Do you know of any places that offer unique adult beverages?  When my friend went to Netroots last year in (I think) St. Louis, they found a place that served adult milkshakes that she really liked... and I've heard of places that do the same with slushies... or if you know of a place that makes really good margaritas, that would be good too.. *G*  She just had her 4th clear mammogram after her breast cancer treatment, and we need to celebrate that... one more and she's officially cancer free...

Not saying this is good but this is the adult blended dink company I know of.
http://m.wetwillies.com/?page=atlanta

[smartcookie]

I don't personally know of any, but check out Atlanta Undeground.  They have shopping and restaurants, but also night life.  I am sure they have some adult beverages worth drinking!  Also, it is in fact underground, so it has a neat atmosphere.

[Riki]

Do you know of any places that offer unique adult beverages?  When my friend went to Netroots last year in (I think) St. Louis, they found a place that served adult milkshakes that she really liked... and I've heard of places that do the same with slushies... or if you know of a place that makes really good margaritas, that would be good too.. *G*  She just had her 4th clear mammogram after her breast cancer treatment, and we need to celebrate that... one more and she's officially cancer free...

Not saying this is good but this is the adult blended dink company I know of.
http://m.wetwillies.com/?page=atlanta

I was wondering if there was one of those there.. I couldn't remember the name of the place

[Simon Dog]

I am a Fresenius home hemo patient.   The administrator at my local clinic handles booking of travel dialysis (domestic, I do not do international), and the home care RN arranges for any of the medical tests required by the clinic I will be visiting.   I usually get called in for a PPD (TB test) prior to a trip.

[Riki]

I am a Fresenius home hemo patient.   The administrator at my local clinic handles booking of travel dialysis (domestic, I do not do international), and the home care RN arranges for any of the medical tests required by the clinic I will be visiting.   I usually get called in for a PPD (TB test) prior to a trip.

I do most of the initial wrangling myself.. I make the contact, find out if they take traveling patients, as some don't.. find out simple things, like the cost per treatment, since I pay cash.. something I will put in my checklist now is if they are a reuse facility.. I didn't know anybody did that anymore... and find out what the next steps are... usually I need to give them contact info for my center, and they hammer the rest of it out... this time, however, I seem to have had to hound people, on both ends, to get anything done... it's daunting and can be a little overwhelming at times... it's why I'd like to become a travel advisor, who can help with this kind of thing...